PED - Ethics: confidentiality

- why it it important , list duty and laws associated, describe practical concerns in a pharmacy settings,what needs to be discussed and when it can be breached

Why do we need to maintain confidentiality ?

• a person may be reluctant to share so they can have proper care if the professional doesn’t maintain confidentiality

• can damage public trust and confidence in healthcare professionals if confidential information isn’t handled appropriately

What is the GPhc standard relating to confidentiality ?

standard 7

-Pharmacy professionals must respect and maintain a person’s confidentiality and privacy

What is confidentiality ?

-Confidentiality refers to the obligation to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access

What is privacy ?

Privacy is the right to control your personal information and how it is used

What is respect to autonomy ?

Respect for autonomy: patients have the right to control information relating to their health, and to decide who has access to it

What is the duty of confidentiality?

• Professional and legal duty to keep information confidential

• A duty of confidentiality arises when one person discloses information to another in circumstances where it is reasonable to expect that the information will be held in confidence.

• Applies to any age of patient, and even after a person dies

What are the laws related to confidentiality and protection of data ?

• Common law duty of confidentiality
• Human Rights Act (1998) Right of respect for private and family life
• Data Protection Act 2018
• General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

What are some examples of confidential information ?

• Electronic and hard copy data
• Personal details
• Information about a person’s medication (prescribed and non-prescribed)
• Other information about a person’s medical history, treatment or care that could identify them, and
• Information that people share that is not strictly medical in nature, but that the person disclosing it would expect to be kept confidential

How do pharmacists protect information ?

Pharmacists must:
• Take all reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality and security of information that they receive, access, store, send or destroy
• Ensure personal data is accurate and up-to-date
• Prevent accidental disclosure of confidential information
• Access confidential records only as part of providing treatment and care for a person

How do pharmacy do confidential consultations?

• any discussion related to a person’s condition or treatment must occur in a private or secure setting - away from public view

• important in providing services that may seek care for more sensitive health concerns

• pharmacy owners must ensure everyone in the pharmacy team understand the principles of privacy and confidentiality

What must you do when disclosing information ?

Make sure the patient understands:
• what information will be disclosed
• why information will be disclosed
• who it will be disclosed to
• the likely consequences of disclosing and of not disclosing the information

Note - when the reason for sharing confidential info is one that they wouldn’t expect - must get explicit consent

What happens if the patient refuses consent ?

• Respect their decision

• But explain the care they can receive may be limited

• Explain what this might potentially mean regarding the care or treatment they can receive

When can confidential information be disclosed ?

These are when a pharmacy professional:
• has the consent of the person under their care, or
• has to disclose by law, or
• should do so in the public interest
• must do so in the vital interests of a person receiving treatment or care, for example if a patient needs immediate urgent medical attention

What do you do if you need to disclose confidential information ?